System76 Launches The Launch Configurable Keyboard

[elatllat]

If it were cheaper, thinner, and visible in the dark... It's like a low end Optimus Maximus keyboard.

[stiiixy]

Well, it might have an immediate market in Australia and NZ, as we both use the US keyboards.

Personally, I'm finding this keyboard underwhelming, and at AUD$500, it's be selling a landslide to a Swiss.

[Quackdoc]

This is very cool, but isn't the point of keyboard backlighting to see the keys at night? They look like solid caps.

Nah. it is to look cool, you shouldn't be on a PC in a dark room anyways. so back lights are actively a bad thing in that regard.

[Sonadow]

Lights on expensive keyboards never made much sense to me anyway. Are there a lot of people who can't touch type but still spend almost 300usd on a keyboard?

One such person here.

Touch typing is quite a pointless skill to have anyway, imo. Every keyboard differs slightly in key placement and size, even if they all use standard QWERTY or AZERTY layouts. All touch typing does is to provide a false sense of confidence that immediately disappears as soon as the keyboard is switched out.

[Sonadow]

Nah. it is to look cool, you shouldn't be on a PC in a dark room anyways. so back lights are actively a bad thing in that regard.

I share a room with my younger sister and brother. Turning on the lights is not always an option, so backlighting is the next best compromise. Useful when I am on a laptop as the keyboard has backlighting, but not much when on the workstation my keyboards don't have them.

[Sonadow]

Can't stand mechanical keyboards. IMO they are the worst thing ever. My preference is for laptop-style scissor switches on a split ergonomic keyboard.

Have been using this for three years and can no longer imagine using any other keyboard: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ww/acce...ew%3aprimaryr2



Not even Logi's new K860 can compete with it.

Only downside is it has no backlighting, so I either have to try typing blindly in my siblings are sleeping in the same room, or turn up the display to have it illuminate the keyboard.

[stiiixy]

Why not get a rechargeable/USB directional lamp...? Can use it for more than just laptop use in the dark, as well.

[linuxgeex]

An unfortunate side-effect of their decision to make the keys identical other than 3 sizes and the silkscreening - the keys all face directly up. That's exceptionally poor ergonomics for a $285 keyboard. If they're going to have all the keys in a single plane then they should have constructed this with the new short-travel half-height mechanical/optical switches from Cherry or Gateon. The negative impact of these poor ergonomics is reduced with a keyboard that has less key travel, and is why it's possible to type all day on a laptop keyboard despite its crappy ergonomics.

Or they need to offer a set of sensible keycaps with it. Because dropping another $80 for a replacement set with the appropriate inclination per row makes this a $365 keyboard and that is pure Gonzo.

I'm also a little disappointed that they didn't use something like the ESP32 WROOM for the SOC, because that would have given them bluetooth connectivity. Then they could have offered a bluetooth model, and there's only a small handful of players in the RGB Mechanical Bluetooth keyboard market, and the price is high, so they could been much more competitive and accessed more market, improving their economy of scale.

[Trapezoid]

Well, it might have an immediate market in Australia and NZ, as we both use the US keyboards.

Personally, I'm finding this keyboard underwhelming, and at AUD$500, it's be selling a landslide to a Swiss.

Fellow Ausfailian here. I spent ~$330AUD on an Azeron Keypad which is 3D printed and made in Latvia. Considering this keyboard is CNC milled and Made in USA that price tag is fine, attractive even. The USB hub has significant appeal as my motherboard has USB 3.2.

For comparison sake I’ve spent $120AUD on a CNC milled stainless steel double edge safety razor from Canada. I also own a Commandante C40 coffee grinder. Made in Germany and $500AUD. I’m not a rich man but I am too poor to buy cheap. The razor will literally last the next 100 years. The grinder the next 20 years.

For me this product also has a political element as well – it’s not Chinese. While it’s pretty much guaranteed some components will come from there the primary economic activity is occurring the US. Happy to support that.

For those complaining about the price – don’t. The next job to go to China/India might be yours because you’re too expensive as well.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-outsourcing-university-of-califor-idUSKBN1682ZI

[tildearrow]

One such person here.

Touch typing is quite a pointless skill to have anyway, imo. Every keyboard differs slightly in key placement and size, even if they all use standard QWERTY or AZERTY layouts. All touch typing does is to provide a false sense of confidence that immediately disappears as soon as the keyboard is switched out.

It is not. Touch typing greatly increases productivity.